TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31
“Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”
Matthew 6:2-4 ESV
GENEROUS APPROVAL
A beggar asked a woman for money, and she dug in her purse and handed him a dollar bill. As she did, she admonished him, “I’ll give you a dollar—-not because you deserve it, but because it pleases me.” “Thank you, ma’am,” he replied, “but while you’re at it, why not make it a ten and thoroughly enjoy yourself!”
Someone has said, “We are never more like God than when we give.” We do in fact serve a generous God who demonstrated His love for us by giving His life. In Hebrews 12:2, we are encouraged to look “to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross.” The joy for Jesus was knowing that His giving was going to make it possible for us to have a right relationship with God and spend eternity with Him.
God does want us to find joy in giving. However, God doesn’t want that joy to be based on the fickle praise of other people. The motivation for giving that never changes is God’s promise to bless us more than we can give to him. Ask God to show you a need that you can meet today in someone else’s life. Ask God to grow the joy you experience from following His example of generosity.
